Battle Zone Normandy

In the week after the D-Day landings, British and Canadian forces in the east were ordered to pin down as many German troops as possible to take the pressure off the Americans, who planned to break out on the western flank. The British commander, Montgomery, wanted to capture Caen, however, and to extend the Allied bridgehead further south. To this end, two battle-hardened divisions were to make a flanking manoeuvre west of Caen, cross the River Odon, break through the enemy positions and take the high ground around Evrecy. 7th Armoured Division, the 'Desert Rats' were to capture Villers Bocage and Evrecy in a 'right hook' while 50th (Tyne Tees) Infantry Division were to take Lingevres and Les Verrieres. Unbeknown to the 'Desert Rats' a number of German Tiger tanks already held the high ground. Led by Waffen-SS tank ace Michael Wittman, these Tigers destroyed almost the entire British advance guard and forced the 'Desert Rats' to withdraw, Wittman's crew accounting for some 25 tanks and other vehicles before being knocked out themselves. At the same time the Geordies of 50th Infantry Division were fighting to take Lingevres and Les Verrieres, ably supported by the tanks of 4/7 Dragoon Guards. Sergeant "Spit" Harris, commanding a Sherman Firefly tank, knocked out no fewer than five Panther tanks, a feat rivalling Wittman's.